What If You Are Left Behind?

Welcome to God First, a program committed to encouraging you to put God first while viewing life through the window of the Bible. Now, in honor of the one and only true God, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, please join us for today's episode. As always, it is a joy and honor and a privilege to join you each week.

I want to thank you for tuning in. One of the primary missions of this program is to proclaim the return of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. When we look at the Bible, the Bible tells us what would be the signs, what would be the condition of the world prior to our Lord's return. And when I look around today, I see events, I see conditions unfolding just as the Bible said it would. And so it is our desire to wake up the lost, to get those who have not received Jesus as Lord and Savior, to accept Jesus Christ today.

Because a day of judgment is coming if you reject Him. And then for those who have already received our Lord, we try to get you to be excited, to look forward to, and to be eager about our Lord's return for the church. So today I want to share with you a special sermon that really resonated with me, and it is my prayer that it will resonate with you as well in light of the days that we are living in. The message is from Dr. Tim Todd, and it is titled, What If You Are Left Behind?

So without further delay, let us join Dr. Tim Todd. For as in the days that were before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until that day that Noah entered into the ark, and knew not until the flood came and took them all away. So shall also the coming of the Son of Man be. Then shall two be in the field, the one shall be taken and the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill, the one shall be taken and the other left. Watch therefore for you know not what hour your Lord doth come. I want to focus the spotlight of your attention this morning on verses 40 and 41. Then shall two be in the field, the one shall be taken and the other left.

Two women shall be grinding at the mill, the one shall be taken and the other left. My question to you, and the theme of the message that God has laid burning in my heart for the hour this morning, is this. What will you do if you are the one who is left behind? What do you do if you are left behind when Jesus comes? Now there is a lot of awful things that can happen to you and me in this lifetime. And many of you have experienced some of these tragedies.

Think about it. You can go through a hurricane or a flood or a tornado. You can go through a divorce or bankruptcy. You can lose your job. You can lose your best friend. You can have all kinds of health problems. You can have a stroke, a cancer or a heart attack. You can lose a loved one to death. There are many things that can happen to you and me that cause tears and heartache, havoc, chaos and trouble. But nothing that I can think of that can happen to you or me in this lifetime can compare to this.

Being left behind when Jesus comes. Pund to that young man. Pund to that young girl. Think about it mister. Think about it lady.

And get this. More people are going to be left behind than will be taken. That is hard for a lot of people to accept because the popular gospel in America goes like this. Almost everybody is going to heaven. God is a good God and He won't send you to hell. It is true that God is a good God. Amen.

He is full of love and of mercy and of grace. But our good God does not send you to hell. You go by your own choice.

You make your own decision. Turn in your Bibles to Matthew 7 verses 13 and 14 and I will prove to you, according to the Word of God, most people are not going to heaven but in fact most people are going to hell. While you are turning there I will back it up in the Old Testament. You remember Lot and his two daughters were saved. All of Sodom and Gomorrah were lost. You remember Noah and his family of seven were saved. The entire world was lost. You remember Joshua and Caleb made it into the Promised Land.

A church of three million people were left behind. Now look at Matthew 7 verses 13 and 14. Enter ye into the straight gate, for wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction and many, M-A-N-Y, say that word with me. Many.

Say it again. Many. Many there be that go in there at. Most people are going to hell. Verse 14 says but straight is the gate and narrow is the road that leads to life and few, few there be that find it. Few people are going to heaven. Proverbs 14, 12 says there is a way that seems right into a man but the end thereof are the ways of death, eternal death. There are many people that are on the road to hell who think they're on the road to heaven. There are many people who are lost who think they're saved.

I was on my way home from a revival and I stopped to get gasoline and there was a man hanging out by the gas pump. So I started witnessing to him. I said, sir, you think you'll go to heaven when you die? He said, well, of course I will. I said, why do you think you'll go to heaven? He scratched his head and he thought about that and he said, well, he said, I pay my bills and I've got a lot of friends in this community that like me. Now, how would you like to try to get to heaven on that ticket?

Because you pay your bills and you've got friends in the community. But this is the mentality of many people who think they're going to heaven because God's a good God and God's a merciful God. Now that all enters into it but hear me this morning. You will be left behind unless you know the Lord Jesus. The fact that Jesus came the first time is proof that he's coming the second time. Nobody doubted Jesus came the first time. In fact, there is more evidence that Jesus has walked on this earth than there is that George Washington or Abraham Lincoln walked on this earth.

Nobody doubts that they came but there's more evidence that Jesus has been here than there is that George Washington has been here. And the very datelines of history bend around the cradle of Jesus. Two thousand years ago, a baby was born that is so important, so extraordinary that we started marking time by his cradle. Now there's never been a baby like that. Even atheists that don't believe in Jesus mark time by his cradle.

Try to figure that one out. Because every time you sign a check and put the date on it, you are testifying to the fact that something happened back there about two thousand years ago. Every time that you celebrate your birthday, it all reverts back to a baby that is more talked about in the second coming than we do even the first coming. We say BC, that means before Christ. AD, after Christ, there's never been a baby that important.

Let me tell you something, friend. Two thousand years ago when Jesus came the first time, he split the pages of history in two. And when he comes the second time, he's going to split the eastern sky.

What a day that will be. We ought to be just beside ourselves with the Lord's soon return. Listen, we are closer to the Lord's return right now than anyone has ever been.

He said in John 14, let not your hearts be troubled. You believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house, there are many mansions.

If it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you and if I go to prepare a place for you, he said, I will come again. Say those four words with me. I will come again and receive unto myself so that where I am, there you may be also. I believe he's going to come again like he said.

Do you? I believe a trumpet's going to sound that's going to raise the dead. Oh, the Lord is coming, 1 Thessalonians chapter 4 verses 16 through 18. This powerful and familiar passage of scripture. It says, the Lord himself, I like that, shall descend from heaven with a shout. I know a lot of people that don't like shouting in church.

Better get used to it, friend. The Bible says when Jesus comes, he's coming with a shout. And people say, well, I just don't think all that noise in church is necessary. And besides, it just kind of makes me nervous.

Better get over it, friend. Doesn't make God nervous. The Bible says when Jesus comes, he's going to come with a shout.

With the voice of an archangel and the trump of God. And the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we that are alive and remain will be caught up with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. So shall we ever be with the Lord. He said, comfort one another with these words.

Let me tell you something, friend. Two thousand years ago when Jesus came the first time, he split the pages of history in two. And when he comes the second time, he's going to split the eastern sky. What a day that will be. How many of you sitting here, you've got a loved one that has passed away that you know they're in heaven. Thank God. All of us do. I'd love to be standing next to their grave and all this takes place, wouldn't you? I mean, some of these graves are going to look like freshly plowed ground where the Lord returns. Now, I don't know how it's all going to take place.

Neither do you. Because you know that many people have died at the oceans and seas. Many people that have been cremated and burned to death. And I don't know how God is going to bring all of their bodies back together. But I know this. God is God and he can do anything he wants to. There's a lot of other things that I don't understand that I accept, appreciate, and enjoy.

How about you? I don't understand electricity and these bright lights. I don't understand the concept of that.

But guess what? I still flip the switch to turn the light on. I don't understand how television works. I don't understand how a TV camera can be in Los Angeles, California or New York City or halfway around the world.

And for that TV camera to take a picture, go through the cord, into the air, bounce off of a satellite, come down and go through your cable cord and jump out in living color on your TV set. I don't understand how a black cow can eat green grass, give white milk and yellow butter. I don't know. But I haven't quit eating the butter. I haven't quit drinking the milk. What am I saying? I'm saying we don't question electricity. We don't question television. We don't question the Internet or the cow or the butter or the milk. So don't question God.

Mark Twain said something that stuck with me. He said it's not the things of the Bible that I don't understand that bother me. He said it's the things of the Bible that I do understand, that I do understand.

Do in the Bible what you understand and God will help you the rest of it. I don't know how we're going to defy gravity when the rapture takes place. But listen, church, I'm ready to go. Can you imagine what it's going to be like when we go sweeping through the pearly white gates down the streets of gold? We're able to have the big parade, the big processional and cry out glory to the lamb for sinners slain from the foundations of the world. What an exciting time it's going to be. And Jesus is going to be right in the middle of it. There'll be no need of the light of the sun or the moon because Jesus is going to be the light of heaven. Brighter than the noonday sun is our Lord and Savior. What a day that will be when my Jesus I shall see.

When I look upon his face and he saves me by his grace and he takes me by the hand and leads me through the promised land. What a day. What a day that will be. My friend, there'll be no graves on the green hillsides of glory. There'll be no funeral trains in the sky.

There'll be no crepe on the doorknobs of glory because all is going to be happy in the sweet by and by. Think about it, no more electric bills. No more high gas prices. No more mortgage payments. No more sickness or disease. No more tears of goodbyes or farewells. No more bad grades in school, young person.

No more changing of the temperature. But there's only one place where there's perfect weather. And that is in heaven where Jesus is the lamb for sinners slain from the foundations of the world. The Lord is coming. Now when is he coming?

A lot of people got discouraged. He said, oh, he should have come by now. But our text says no man knows the day or the hour. But you know what God told you and I? He said, I'm going to give you signs and signals, the believer. He said, and when these things begin to happen, look up, lift up your heads for your redemption draweth nigh.

You know what that means? That the coming of the Lord is not going to be unexpected for God's people. But it's going to catch the world by surprise. If you are just now joining us, we are listening today to Dr. Tim Todd in a message titled, what will you do if you are left behind? What a powerful message this is as our Lord Jesus is coming back again and we are to wake up.

It should not be a surprise for those of us who have received him as Lord and Savior. So we're going to pause for a short announcement, but please don't go away on the other side. We're going to come back with more from Dr. Tim Todd in the message titled, what will you do if you are left behind?

Don't go away. You are tuned into the God First program. You are listening to God First. If you believe in what we stand for, a God First Bible fellowship, would you consider partnering with us? Our God First partners program is based on Matthew 6-33. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added on to you. For a recurring donation of $6.33 per month, you can help us share the message of placing God's commands first when viewing the issues of our culture. Please visit our website, GodFirst.org, or write to us at God First Bible Fellowship, P.O.

Box 266, Knightdale, North Carolina, 27545 for more information. Now, let's return to the conclusion of today's program. Welcome back to the program. My name is Brian Thomas, and today we are listening to a special message from Dr. Tim Todd concerning the coming of our lowest return.

So let's rejoin Dr. Tim Todd for the conclusion of what will you do if you are left behind? Most people are not ready for the Lord's return right now. In fact, many people when you talk to them about the Lord's soon return, they'll scoff and mock and make fun of the fact that he's coming back at all.

Have you noticed that? Did you know that's a sign that Jesus is ready to return? Because he said in 2 Peter chapter 3 verses 3 and 4 that in the last days there would be scoffers walking after their own lusts saying, Where's the promise of his coming? Most people are living as if the Lord were never going to return.

What kind of a signal does your life send? But there are many people that are lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God. Now, what's going to happen to the nation of Israel before the Lord returns? It's described in three chapters in Ezekiel. I'm going to sum it up.

Ezekiel 37, 38, and 39. The Bible says that Israel will become a hunted and hated nation looked upon with suspicion, scattered into the four corners of the earth, but in the last days that Israel would be restored as a nation in one day, and that the Jews would be drawn back to Israel from all over the world. Who could imagine a nation becoming a nation in one day? But as most of you know, it's already happened.

May 15th, 1948. The United Nations brought Israel back in and gave them full nation status, and in just a matter of a few minutes the British flag came down, the Israeli flag went right back up, and Israel was restored as a nation in one day. And when this happened, immediately the Jews began leaving their jobs, their careers, their professions from all over the world being drawn back to Israel. Why were they doing this? Some of them don't even know themselves why they were doing it.

Think about this. Jews that don't believe Jesus came the first time have been doing things to fulfill Bible prophecy, to usher in his coming the second time. What about the walls of communism coming down in Russia?

And what about the door opening up now in Cuba? What about the gospel going into all of the world through shortwave radio, and by the way of Internet and by television, especially through shortwave radio? Did you know that according to the Word of God, this is a sign that Jesus is ready to return right now? Matthew 24, verse 14.

Here's what it says. And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations, and then shall the end come. The gospel is going into all the world. It's time for Jesus to return. Now, what's going to happen to those who are left behind?

If you're left behind, this is what you have to look forward to. And my prayer is that this morning, every one of you listening to my voice that are not in right relationship with God, that you'll get your heart right with God so that you'll make the rapture. But if you don't make the rapture, this is what you have to look for. And I've heard people say, well, brother Todd, whenever the rapture takes place, I know I'll have seven years to get my heart right with God, and so then I'll know what length of time I have. Listen, if you can't live for Jesus right now, how do you expect to die for him then?

And I really don't believe it'll be that easy. What are you going to do? If you get left behind, you realize that as a result of your example, that some of your family members will be left behind too, because they'll think that what you were doing were right and they were following what you did. They'll be left behind. What will you do if they put a gun to the head of your child and say, if you don't take the mark of the beast, I'm going to kill your child? Then what will you do? Why not just get your heart right with the Lord and miss all of that?

Amen? Here's what you have to look forward to if you're left behind. The Bible says the sun will be darkened in midday. The moon will turn to blood. The stars will fall out of the heavens. People will run to the hills and run to the mountains, and they'll cry out for the rocks to crush them, the abomination of desolation. There's going to be about seven years of it. But I'm convinced, Pastor Denny, it's going to be a time where the earth is going to rock and reel, and the judgments of God are going to be poured out, and the people who have made fun of God and laughed at God and scoffed at God on television, at the movie house, in magazines, the Hugh Hefner's, the Ted Turner's, the Bill Maher's, and the Michael Moore's, and everybody else who has shook their fists in God's face and made nothing more than a cuss word that people use, every one of them are going to bow their knee to Jesus Christ, the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. It's going to be a time where battles will be fought and blood will be shed that will come to the bridal bits of a horse.

That's a lot of blood. Throughout history, listen, I've stood overlooking the Valley of Jezreel where the Battle of Armageddon is going to take place, and the Bible teaches us that the vultures are going to come out of the air and pluck the flesh off of the dead bodies and the carcasses of those who have been killed in the Battle of Armageddon. Did you know that throughout the history of mankind, buzzards have consistently laid one egg and hatched one buzzard? But in the past several years, the buzzards have consistently been laying three and four eggs and hatching three and four buzzards, and they have been gathering over the Valley of Jezreel in swarms.

Those buzzards have more sense than most people because the buzzards are getting ready for the Lord's return. Reliable sources have informed me that the major newspapers around the world and up and down America are carrying what is called the Second Coming Type. It's the largest typesetting ever engaged by a newspaper.

It's more than two and a half inches tall. Secular newspapers are holding this typesetting in readiness for the soon return of Jesus Christ. Now can you imagine right now, secular newspapers in Frankfurt, Germany, Brussels, Belgium, London, England, here in America, Los Angeles Times, New York Times, several other papers. Can you imagine these newspapers carrying the big headlines, Christ comes again?

I don't know about you, friend, but that is one newspaper I don't intend to stick around to read. Because when he comes, I'm going to go. I'm going to take the first Jesus jet out of here. Are you ready to be an astronaut for God? Are you ready for space travel? Are you ready to get on the space shuttle that won't blow up? He's ready to come.

Are you ready to go? Who's going to be left behind? Four groups of people as far as I can tell. First of all, those who know not God and obey not the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Second Thessalonians chapter 1 verses 7 through 9.

Under you who are troubled, rest with us. When the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them, watch this, that know not God and obey not the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power. Those who know not God and obey not the gospel are not going to make the rapture. If you love him, it's because you know him, and if you know him, you will obey his word.

You know what that means? That your salvation has absolutely nothing to do with having your name in a church rollbook. Your salvation has everything to do with having an intimate marriage relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, knowing him, and if you know him, you will obey him.

Who else is going to be left behind? Hypocrites are not going to make the rapture. Matthew 23, 15. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, you compass sea and land to make one proselyte, but when you have made him, you make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves. Now what is a hypocrite? An individual that lives one way here at church, but then you live a different way outside of the church.

At home, at school, at work. Let me put it this way. If you'll let me go home with you this afternoon and look in your refrigerator, and look through your magazine rack, go to the internet sites that you go to, listen to the same music that you listen to, and watch the same television programs and movies that you watch, I'll know whether or not you've really been born again, or if you're just living a hypocritical life. Hypocrites are not going to make it to heaven. Who else is going to be left behind?

This is frightening. Many religious leaders will not make it to heaven. Matthew 7, 21, 22, and 23 describes this group. Not everyone who says, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will come into me in that day and say, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name and in thy name cast out devils?

Have we not done many wonderful works? Then will I profess unto them, I never knew you, depart from me, you workers of iniquity. I'm not saved because I'm a preacher.

I'm saved because I have a savior, and I know Jesus and I love him. Who else is going to be left behind? One more group and I close. Lukewarm churchgoers are not going to heaven. Revelation chapter three. The seven churches of Asia believed by most Bible scholars as being the seven church ages throughout history, symbolic of the seven church ages throughout history, finishing up with the last church age, the church age that we're in right now.

Here's what it says. Revelation chapter three verses 14 through 17. It says, and unto the angel of the church, angel is translated pastor of the church of the Laodiceans Rite. These things saith I, amen, the faithful, the true, witness, and the beginning of the creation of God. I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot. I would that thou art cold or hot. So then, because thou art lukewarm and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of my mouth.

That's pretty strong right there. Because thou sayest, I am rich and increased with goods and have need of nothing, and knowest not that thou art wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked. Now, isn't that a powerful outpouring of what God is saying here?

The word spew in that passage of scripture comes from the Greek word where we get our word vomit. So what the Lord is saying is, if you're lukewarm, it makes God sick. Are we making God sick with the lukewarm, lethargic, apathetical, indifferent attitude that is so prevalent in so many of our churches today? I believe we are. You say, well, Brother Todd, I'm not lukewarm.

Thank God if you're not. But I think it's fair and important to take a spiritual examination. It's a multiple choice question. Your three choices are hot, cold, and lukewarm.

Is that fair? What about your daily prayer life and devotion time right now? Would you say that it's hot, cold, or lukewarm? What about your soul winner's fire?

Is it hot, cold, or lukewarm? What about your church attendance? What about your giving and your tithing?

What about the way that you worship God? Is it hot, is it cold, or is it lukewarm? Some of you sitting here would be able to say, Brother Todd, I'm hot and on fire in all of those areas.

Thank God if you can say that. Some of you sitting here would have to say, Brother Todd, I'm cold in one or more of those areas in my life. But I would venture to say, as I stand here, that about 75 to 80% of you sitting here would have to say, I'm lukewarm in one or more of those areas. I'm not really hot in my daily prayer life and devotion time in God's Word, but I'm not cold. I'm just lukewarm. I'm not really hot as soul winner, but I'm not cold. I'm lukewarm with my busy work schedule and with school and all of the things that I've got going on with my family. I'm not really hot in my church attendance, but I'm not cold.

I'm lukewarm. In Matthew 25, there were ten virgins. What is a virgin? A good girl. All ten of them were good girls, right? But all ten of them weren't saved.

Only five of those virgins had their lamps trimmed and bright with the oil, which is symbolic of the Spirit of God. What about you? Would you say that you are hot, cold, or lukewarm? Jesus is ready to come. What a powerful message from Dr. Tim Todd.

What will you do if you are left behind? It is my prayer that this message has inspired you. If you have already received Jesus, if you are truly born again, that you are now excited about His return, that you are looking forward to the coming of our great Lord. Because as Dr. Todd said, we have a Savior, and I love Him. And I am looking forward to that day when we face to face, the day when the trumpet will sound and there will be a shout from heaven, from the archangel, and the Bible says we will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air, and we shall forever be with our Lord.

Therefore, comfort one another with these words. I am looking forward to that day, and for those who have not received Jesus Christ, I urge you today to accept Jesus as Lord and Savior because He is coming back again. Don't be like those in the days of Noah who scoffed and mocked and laughed when it was too late, and they perished in the flood. A day of judgment is coming. Our King is coming back to rule and reign.

We are looking forward to it, and we are excited about it. And I want to encourage you to share the message with your friends, share the message with your family that our Lord Jesus is coming. All of your problems will instantly come to an end on the day when our Lord catches us up to meet Him in the air, and we shall forever be with our Lord. As Dr. Todd said, what a day that will be when we will see Him face to face, and we can give praise and adoration to our Lord Savior, Jesus Christ, for all of eternity. Well, folks, I want to thank you for tuning in. We are all out of time for this week, but please come back next week and join us as we continue to encourage you to put God first while viewing life through the window of the Bible. Until then, remember to pray for the peace of Jerusalem, bless God's great nation of Israel, and to the only wise God, be glory through Jesus Christ forever, amen. Bless God's great nation of Israel, and seek first the kingdom of God.